Seven Kenyan Seafarers Return Home After Release From Tanzanian Detention

Seven Kenyan seafarers have returned home after their release from detention in Tanzania, where they had been sentenced to 20 years in prison on human trafficking charges.

The crew members arrived at Moi International Airport in Mombasa and were reunited with their families after spending more than two months in custody. Their release followed negotiations between the Kenyan and Tanzanian governments and the payment of a fine by the Kenyan government.

The men were arrested in late March after Tanzanian authorities intercepted the FV Sea Mfalme, a Kenyan-flagged vessel, off the coast of Kilwa. The vessel was carrying 61 undocumented migrants, including 54 from the Democratic Republic of Congo and seven from Burundi. 

Nine crew members, among them the seven Kenyans, were subsequently charged with human trafficking offences. Kenya and Tanzania initially discussed transferring the convicted crew members to Kenya to serve their sentences. However, further negotiations resulted in an agreement allowing a fine to be paid instead of imprisonment.

Mining and Blue Economy Cabinet Secretary Hassan Ali Joho said the Kenyan government paid Tsh10 million, equivalent to about Sh497,000, which secured the release of the seafarers. Mr Joho, who received the crew on their arrival in Mombasa, said their return brought relief to both the government and their families.

He also reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to protecting seafarers working abroad and announced measures aimed at strengthening safeguards within the maritime sector. The government plans to introduce Seafarers’ Identity Documents and expand cooperation with regional and international partners to improve compliance and reduce risks for maritime workers.

Throughout the case, relatives of the detained men maintained that the crew members were innocent employees who were unaware that the vessel had been diverted into a human trafficking operation. Investigations indicate that the ship had been chartered for legitimate cargo transport but was allegedly used by its captain to transport migrants illegally.

Maritime industry stakeholders welcomed the crew’s release while calling for stronger oversight of vessel operations. The FV Sea Mfalme, which was built in 1988 and is registered under the Kenyan flag, remains impounded in Tanzania as evidence in ongoing proceedings involving other suspects.